Disable Facebook Places

If the Facebook Places application feels a little too "Big Brother" to you, you might simply opt out of using this feature by never "checking in" anywhere. But, that's not enough to keep you geographically anonymous. It's still possible for other people to tag you and reveal your location to whoever they make their profile information available to (which could be everyone). Keep reading for detailed instructions.

Steps

  1. Go to "Account" in the upper right hand corner and click on "Privacy Settings".
  2. Click on "Customize Settings".
  3. Look for "Places I check in to" and "Include me in "People Here Now" after I check in". Make sure the check box (Enable) next to "Include me in "People Here Now" after I check in" is unchecked.
  4. Click on the dropdown menu next to "Places I check in to" and click on "Customize".
  5. In the box that shows up, select "Only Me" from the first dropdown menu. This is as private as it gets.
  6. Go back to privacy settings. Look for "Friends can check me in to Places" (it's in the section titled "Things Others Share". In the dropdown menu, select "Disabled".

Removing Existing Tags

  1. If a friend has already tagged you in a Place, and you don't want to be tagged, here is what to do to untag yourself:
  2. Go to your Profile, your friend's Profile, or the Place page.
  3. Select "Remove Tag".
  4. Once selected, the tag concerning you will be removed from that Place.

Tips

  • If you're a parent of a teen using Facebook, this is a really good time to sit down and talk through the privacy issues involved. Many teens think it is great to have their friends know where they are at any time, not giving a thought to the potential dangers this could raise in relation to bullying, ill-intentioned strangers who have pretended to be friends, stalkers, or simply being dogged by someone who might want to be around them all the time (the Avoid a Creepy Stalker who Wants to Ask You Out).
  • Note that the default settings for those under 18 is stricter. If you're under 18, Facebook won't permit your location to be disclosed to anyone other than your Facebook friends, period.[1] This means that, provided you (or your Be a Better Son or daughter), have provided the correct birth date details, the account will automatically only permit friends to know about the location. This works even if the minor has set their information as being visible to everyone.[2]

Things You'll Need

  • Facebook account
  • Privacy settings familiarity
  • Family discussion if you've got teens on Facebook

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ CNET, Larry Magid, Controlling where Facebook Places puts you, http://news.cnet.com/8301-19518_3-20014097-238.html
  2. ↑ Facebook, Places, https://www.facebook.com/places/#!/help/?topic=places
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